Sorci-Thomas Laboratory

Location

Endocrinology and Molecular Medicine

General Interests

Lipid Metabolism, Atherosclerosis, Obesity, Adipocyte Biology

Research Areas

Two projects are currently ongoing in Dr. Sorci-Thomas’ lab, both involve the protein PCPE2, or procollagen endopeptidase enhancer 2.

The first of these project examines the role of this novel protein, PCPE2 in regulating adipose tissue expansion during Western diet consumption. To do this an inducible adipocyte specific PCPE2 knockout mouse model was developed to study how the extracellular matrix protein participates in lipid uptake and efflux related to lipid storage. What we have found is that in the absence of adipocyte PCPE2, mice demonstrate reduced body weight, smaller fat stores, improved glucose tolerance and delayed postprandial lipid clearance, thus rendering them resistant to dietary fat-induced obesity and glucose intolerance. Future studies will focus on the molecular mechanism involved in PCPE2’s influence on lipid storage.

The second ongoing project in Dr. Sorci-Thomas’ lab focuses on a new and exciting concept of targeting inflammation to treat residual cardiovascular risk. Prior approaches have aimed at reducing inflammation by neutralizing the cytokine IL-1beta. Although this approach lowered CVD events, it also had serious side effects. In contrast, the new approach is aimed at increasing the function of “protective” circulating monocytes, termed, nonclassical monocytes (NCM). NCM make up ~10% of monocytes in blood and express 100-fold more scavenger receptor CD36 on their surface than classical monocytes. Traditionally monocytes have been viewed as simple precursors of macrophages which infiltrate the artery wall and contribute to foam cell burden in atherosclerotic plaque. But NCM are clearly distinct since once activated via CD36, they surveil and protect the luminal side of the vascular endothelium. NCM bind and crawl along the artery removing damaged endothelium and/or oxidized LDL (oxLDL) along their path. Thus, these studies will focus on stabilizing CD36 on NCM plasma membrane using a relatively understudied extracellular scaffold protein, procollagen endo-peptidase enhancer 2 (PCPE2).

Current Members

Hao Xu, PhD

Lab Manager

Mirza Ahmar Beg, PhD

Postdoctoral Researcher

Marjorie Kipp, BS

Technician

(Thomas MJ, Xu H, Wang A, Beg MA, Sorci-Thomas MG.) J Lipid Res. 2024 Nov;65(11):100664 PMID: 39374805 PMCID: PMC11567036 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85209736611 10/08/2024
(Liu Z, Cao Y, Liao XL, Ou ZJ, Mo ZW, Liu YF, Chen YT, Liu ZL, Gao JJ, Ning DS, Peng YM, Sorci-Thomas MG, Ou JS, Li Y.) J Cardiovasc Transl Res. 2024 Oct 16 PMID: 39412642 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85206886174 10/16/2024
(Aikawa E, Allison MA, Iruela Arispe L, Bendeck MP, Chen Y, Gardiner EE, Golledge J, Suzuki-Inoue K, Marelli-Berg F, Powell JT, Ramasamy R, Sarpong DF, Sorci-Thomas MG, Daugherty A, Hegele RA, Schmidt AM.) Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2024 Jul;44(7):1459-1461 PMID: 38924433 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85197157910 06/26/2024
(Sorci-Thomas MG, Hegele RA, Remaley AT.) Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2024 Jan;44(1):7-11 PMID: 38150515 PMCID: PMC10760802 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85180612441 12/27/2023
(Nagesh PT, Nishi H, Rawal S, Zahr T, Miano JM, Sorci-Thomas M, Xu H, Akbar N, Choudhury RP, Misra A, Fisher EA.) bioRxiv. 2023 Oct 19 PMID: 37905061 PMCID: PMC10614922 10/31/2023
(Dai W, Zhang H, Lund H, Zhang Z, Castleberry M, Rodriguez M, Kuriakose G, Gupta S, Lewandowska M, Powers HR, Valmiki S, Zhu J, Shapiro AD, Hussain MM, López JA, Sorci-Thomas MG, Silverstein RL, Ginsberg HN, Sahoo D, Tabas I, Zheng Z.) Science. 2023 Sep;381(6661):eadh5207 PMID: 37651538 PMCID: PMC10697821 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85169348601 08/31/2023
(Knaack DA, Chang J, Thomas MJ, Sorci-Thomas MG, Chen Y, Sahoo D.) bioRxiv. 2023 Aug 22 PMID: 37662321 PMCID: PMC10473602 09/04/2023
(Mo ZW, Peng YM, Zhang YX, Li Y, Kang BA, Chen YT, Li L, Sorci-Thomas MG, Lin YJ, Cao Y, Chen S, Liu ZL, Gao JJ, Huang ZP, Zhou JG, Wang M, Chang GQ, Deng MJ, Liu YJ, Ma ZS, Hu ZJ, Dong YG, Ou ZJ, Ou JS.) Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2023 Aug 14;8(1):299 PMID: 37574469 PMCID: PMC10423722 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85168069378 08/14/2023
(Schmidt AM, Sorci-Thomas MG, Chen Y, Hegele RA.) Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2023 Jul;43(7):1093-1095 PMID: 37259864 PMCID: PMC10330751 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85163505807 06/01/2023
(Wacker BK, Bi L, Liu L, Sorci-Thomas MG, Ng P, Palmer DJ, Tang C, Dichek DA.) Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids. 2023 May;1868(5):159301 PMID: 36858111 PMCID: PMC10127936 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85150850823 03/02/2023
(Vachon L, Smaani A, Tessier N, Jean G, Demers A, Milasan A, Ardo N, Jarry S, Villeneuve L, Alikashani A, Finherty V, Ruiz M, Sorci-Thomas MG, Mayer G, Martel C.) Theranostics. 2022;12(3):1440-1458 PMID: 35154499 PMCID: PMC8771568 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85122672999 02/15/2022
(Vachon L, Smaani A, Tessier N, Jean G, Demers A, Milasan A, Ardo N, Jarry S, Villeneuve L, Alikashani A, Finherty V, Ruiz M, Sorci-Thomas MG, Mayer G, Martel C.) Theranostics. 2022;12(3):1440-1458 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85122672999 01/01/2022

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